Corrections
OUR APPROACH TO CORRECTIONAL DESIGN
With a growing demand on our justice system and prisons, and a desire to improve operations, increase sustainability and create an environment that encourages behavioural change, the justice and corrections sector requires a new form of architecture to meet society’s changing needs.
Guymer Bailey is recognised as the leading experts in secure facility architecture, landscape, and interiors and has been the lead design consultant on some of Australia’s most forward-thinking, rehabilitative-focused projects, many of which have become the benchmark for their project type.
Having proven our capability and capacity to deliver large, complex secure projects, we have won all major contracts for new correctional facilities and significant refurbishments over the last decade. Some of these include the successful delivery of the $900m Western Plains Correction Centre and the $670m Ravenhall Correctional Centre and current delivery of the $816m Southern Queensland Correctional Centre.
Projects
Complete refurbishments
Largest project value
With an innovative yet methodical approach to design, our prison and justice projects consider:
- Rehabilitation and reintegration – to facilitate rehabilitation and the reintegration of prisoners back into society, we normalise prison environments as much as possible while still maintaining appropriate levels of security.
- Trauma-informed – designs are sensitive to the impact of interpersonal violence and victimisation on an individual’s life and development. This model of care aims to understand the individual within their own social context and increase feelings of safety and hope for recovery by building (or re-building) a sense of control and empowerment.
- Complex planning movements – judges, people in custody and members of the public all require different entrances and pathways into and throughout court buildings. Our designs consider the complex planning movements in clear and defined routes.
- Operational efficiency – designs are responsive to your needs, requirements, and operations to minimise disruption and maximise efficiency.
- Sustainability – decreasing operational costs and minimising environmental impact are significant considerations in our designs. We maximise natural light and ventilation to reduce heating and cooling costs and where possible we utilise low energy embodied materials and sustainable construction materials. For larger projects, we also look at ways to capture water and generate power to produce significant savings and environmental benefits over time.
- Health and cultural needs – with a substantial amount of the prison population ageing, we take into consideration the mental and physical health of inmates. We are also sensitive to different cultural needs, offering flexible and adaptable spaces and visits centres to allow for different family structures and larger family visits.
- Transparency and openness – drawing on the values of transparency and openness we utilise building orientation, open planning, natural sunlight, and interaction with the outside to communicate lightness and accessibility while still providing privacy.
- Durable building materials – we choose the right selection of building materials for sustainability, durability, and robustness to increase the longevity of buildings, prevent damage, enhance security, and avoid harm.
- Interaction with the landscape – understanding interaction with the outside environment is an important part of maintaining openness in the justice sector and allowing for employment and rehabilitation in corrections, our landscape designs consider aesthetics, usage, safety, and sustainability.
NORMALISING INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS FOR AN EASIER TRANSITION
As architects, interior designers and landscape architects specialising in correctional and mental health design, we have the unique opportunity to make a profound impact on our community. Our goal is to create secure spaces that not only remove the institutional feel of prisons, but also make the transition back into society easier for individuals.
When we consider that every person released from prison will be reintegrating into society, it becomes crucial to ask ourselves, "What kind of citizens do we want them to become?" Through thoughtful design, we can create environments that foster positive transformation.
Research has shown that working in a correctional centre can have detrimental effects on mental health, leading to increased rates of suicide among staff, as well as heart disease, high blood pressure, and family breakdown. This is exactly why harsh prison environments are not the answer. A calming physical environment is more likely to promote safety and security. In our designs, we prioritise the well-being of staff and visiting family members, as they play a vital role in the rehabilitation process.
You can read more about how we incorporate multiple methods to reduce stress and subconscious anxiety in our designs under wellbeing.
ACHIEVING MEASURABLE RESULTS FROM REHABILITATIVE ENVIRONMENTS
As leaders in correctional architecture in Australia, we understand the unique challenges and expectations of the health and medical facilities within the sector. Prisoners in our system face higher rates of mental health problems, psychotic disorders, chronic and infectious diseases, as well as alcohol and drug abuse.
According to the Victorian Ombudsman, 40% of prisoners in Victoria have a mental health condition, and they are 10-15 times more likely to have a psychotic disorder compared to the general population*. Many prisoners have experienced violence and trauma.
To truly make a difference in this sector, our designs focus on supporting operations that educate and rehabilitate. We specialise in creating environments that facilitate positive change – and we're seeing results.
“The Southern Remand Centre (SRC) has been opened since July 2022. The feedback received by the remandees has been very positive, the open spaces, generous cells and contemporary architecture which has had a positive influence on the remandees behaviour.
Remandees of all different cohorts will sit and eat their meal together in a pleasant, communal environment. With open spaces in the outside common areas, remandees will have BBQ together, and at times had Pickle Ball competitions with staff, which traditionally would never be heard of.
We have had remandees enter the facility who have historically been problematic, but since been housed in the Southern Remand Centre their behaviour and attitudes have been excellent, the change of environment has definitely had a positive influence. As the SRC Superintendent, remandees frequently ask whether they can serve their sentence in the SRC facility, which shows the healthy environment the SRC has created.”
- Southern Remand Centre Superintendent
*Source: Victorian Ombudsman Investigation into the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in Victoria 2015.
BREAKING THE CYCLES IN CORRECTIONS
In a commitment to breaking the cycles in corrections, we take a considered approach to designing correctional facilities and secure mental health facilities ensuring we address key issues including increasing recidivism rates and correctional staff depression and suicide rates.
We also proactively support organisations like YMCA ReBuild and Fruit 2 Work who help those who have offended create positive change in their lives through employment opportunities. You can read more about how we are committed to breaking cycles in corrections under
corporate responsibility